Good Travelling Whiskey

[Gillman]

I think it was parenthetically during a recent Vbt that Bird (Scott) observed to Tony that a given whiskey was a good travelling whiskey. He may have meant it semi-humorously (or not), but I liked the observation. It got me thinking: what makes a good travelling whiskey? I would say a whiskey that is good quality and flavorful but not too demanding, as indeed Bird's suggestion (a wheater, perhaps a VW) showed. When trying to relax during travels one wants something soothing and good but not again too exacting - that should be left for studied moments at home.

My ideal travelling whiskey probably is Four Roses Yellow Label.

What's yours?

Gary

[spun_cookie]

I go with a few diff bourbons, but ususally a WT in tow...

[TNbourbon]

Gary, when Cliff and Randy attended a Titans game with me some years ago, we filled some purified, 100ml JD franctional bottles with 'stadium' whiskey, which I would deem close kin to 'travelling whiskey'. Mine was Rittenhouse BIB. As best I can remember, there may have also been some Wild Turkey 12yo, and maybe some JB Black (though that may have been a later stadium setting:grin:) present.

[Gillman]

Sounds good gents, keep it coming. With the distractions and fatigues of travel one wants something emphatic (all bourbon and rye are, by definition) but not too complicated.

Gary

[whskylvr]

For me it's either FRsmB or ETL.

[fishnbowljoe]

Pretty much anything but JB White. :slappin: Joe

Actually, I would probably pick Weller 12 or OWA.

[birdman1099]

I travel with a box of 4 bottles. I typically have one of each category.

1 Barrel proofer (willett, Stagg, WLW)

1 Dusty BIB (old fitz, Eagle Rare, WT 8yr...)

1 Higher end easy sipper (Pappy 20, lot b, wt12,Jeff 17, ER17....)

1 daily drinker (OWA 107, weller 90, ETL, 4 roses sb.....)

This way I have a bottle that would work for most occasions.:grin:

[T Comp]

It's usually between Old Forester Signature or Old Weller Antique for travelling. Last summer, I took a 15 year PVW to the mountains in Colorado, which was about 3/4's full in the original bottle. Upon opening at 8000 feet, the cork popped like a champagne bottle and the juice smoked away for a good minute. Sure surprised the heck out of me but thankfully nothing spilled.

[spun_cookie]

you can also use my method... stash a bottles at the houses of your new SB.com buddies where you travel the most

[tommyboy38]

I guess it depends where I'm travelling and for how long.

Last year on vacation for a week, I brought about a dozen bottles.

If I'm headed to a social function, I'll grab a bottle of Old Fitz or Evan Williams. Something more intimate with friends, it's always Lot B.

[birdman1099]

you can also use my method... stash a bottles at the houses of your new SB.com buddies where you travel the most

hey, as of today, I no longer have any bottles of yours.....

You better send me a couple !!!!:grin:

[emr454]

I would consider either Evan Williams black label or Weller Special Reserve to be good traveling whiskies. Both are simple and inexpensive, but still have a good amount of flavor for what they are.

Eric

[spun_cookie]

hey, as of today, I no longer have any bottles of yours.....

You better send me a couple !!!!:grin:

I see a trip to Binny's in your future ....that was you warning

[birdman1099]

Ah... a pilgrimage to the holy Land !!!!:grin:

[tommyboy38]

Not quite the holy land...everything is far to new and dustless.

But I think I'll be there Saturday anyway.

[Pieface]

I see a trip to Binny's in your future ....that was you warning

[independant]

I don't normally travel with any whiskies. While packing to go up to Vermont over the holidays my wife asked me if I was packing any bottles. I told her nope. A minaute later she asked if that meant we had to stop at atleast a dozen liquor stores on the way up and back and I answered with a yep.

[TNbourbon]

In all seriousness, and after further thought: 'travelling whiskey' has become an almost out-of-reach luxury in these days of undie-bombers and TSA idiocy (believe me, I say that with the utmost respect -- that I can muster, anyway!), unless one travels by auto.

Anyway, under current circumstances, to me a good 'travelling whiskey' is one that I'd be glad to find -- whether available at a bar or liquor store -- at my destination, and feel rewarded beyond complacency (exampled by JB White, Maker's Mark, Jack Daniel's, WT 80 and 101). Thus, count me gratified with any Weller, OGD BIB, Buffalo Trace, Knob Creek, any Four Roses, JD Single Barrel.

You'll undoubtedly note that I include nothing from Wild Turkey or Heaven Hill (beyond my original Rittenhouse BIB nominee earlier): that's because I believe both of those distillers excel primarily with baseline products. They would be welcome in default anytime, but thus would not be notable, particularly, for travel specifically. Additionally, I don't delve into 'premium' brands.

Okay, I sense I'm by now talking to myself, so...

[TNbourbon]

...

WT8 is my traveller of choice.

[spun_cookie]

But what whiskey are you taking to warm you on this travel?

WT8 is my traveller of choice.

[Waiahi]

TNBourbon - Before I even got to your post, I was intending my response to consider the TSA restrictions....

I just recently did a whiskey run to Las Vegas. Since the airlines I fly on only offer shots of JD or Dewars, for $8.00 a piece at that, I've bought myself about 8 individual shots of WTRB, and several shots of Bookers (the highest proof KSBW individual shots I could find).

As long as you can fit them all in a single quart sized ziplock bag, you can have it on your carry on luggage. I was able to fit 6 WTRB and 2 Bookers into one bag.

When going through TSA, I pulled the bag out and explicitly point it out to the screeners before I even send my bag through the scanners.

The only problem however, is this: I had to be careful when I drank 'em while in-flight...gotta make sure there are no flight attendant's around, as I think it's against FAA regulations to bring your own alcohol and to consume it on a flight.

But if I'm gonna pay $8.00 for an individual shot of whiskey, I sure 'aint doing it for JD or Dewars! :slappin:

[Pieface]

It must be nice not to realize something is not available (to us, anyway!). Yeah, I'd settle for WT8, too -- if I could buy some! (it's export- and duty-free only, from the U.S.)

[birdman1099]

Mind you, when I say travel, I am talking when I need to go out of town for 3-5 days in a row, for work. and yes I drive. I do make sure I put the open bottles in the cargo dept of my Explorer Sport Trac.

No laws broken here !!!!:grin: (this time)

[ErichPryde]

I don't normally travel with any whiskies. While packing to go up to Vermont over the holidays my wife asked me if I was packing any bottles. I told her nope. A minaute later she asked if that meant we had to stop at atleast a dozen liquor stores on the way up and back and I answered with a yep.

[Gillman]

Some very interesting responses. There is a vagueness in the expression travelling to be sure, I meant it in the sense of bringing something far away to be sampled at rest - generally in the evening for me - in unfamiliar surroundings.

Of course people travel differently and have different habits. When it comes to air travel, my simple solution is to the check the bag. It's easy, and as long as you wrap the bottle carefully, nothing can come amiss.

Another thing I sometimes do, which is a gloss on Bird's cover-the-bases approach, is bring a few minis with different things to try. True, this gets away from the single satisfying brand approach I mentioned earlier, but there are different ways to do this.

Gary